The 9-8 victory over Denmark in the playoffs on Saturday afternoon sent Canada to the semifinals tonight and to a match against South Korea. The Einarson quartet from the Manitoba Gimli Curling Club are three-time Canadian champions, but the 2022 World Championships in Prince George, BC, were their first to play in an arena with fans cheering for the host country. The World Cup in Prince George was canceled two years ago and last year’s championship in Calgary was without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the stakes for Canada increase in this league, so does the reaction of the audience at the CN Center and the adrenaline of the players after each Canadian shot. Einarson would not have it any other way, but she does not want her team to necessarily drive the emotional train of the fans. “Being able to take an extra second in the hack, take a big deep breath, yes, that’s definitely the key,” Einarson said. “The crowd was incredible and we appreciate all their cheers. We are very grateful we can have it again.” Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg expelled Cory Christensen from the United States 8-5 in the other afternoon playoff game to advance to the semifinals against two-time defending champion Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland. The winners of the semifinals play for the gold and the losers for the bronze on Sunday. Jennifer Jones (2018) and Rachel Homan (2017) missed the only Canadian teams to win women’s world titles in the last dozen games they played. Einarson, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and top Briane Meilleur opened last year in Calgary with a 1-5 record, but won six of their next seven games to reach last place in the playoffs. The Canadians were then eliminated in a defeat by Hasselborg to miss the semifinals. Einarson and company went 9-3 in the qualifying round at Prince George to win third place in the playoffs behind Switzerland (12-0) and South Korea (9-3). Sweden (9-3), USA (8-4) and Denmark (7-5) completed the playoffs. An open shot to score three in the eighth end and take control of Saturday’s fight against Dane Madeleine Dupont was a moment when Einarson slowed down before handing over her stone. “Even going down the ice, I just slow down everything and when I get into the hack, I take an extra breath and that seems to help,” Einarson said. Einarson’s triple takeout in the fifth goal in front of 1,850 at the CN Center saved her team from trouble and reduced Dupont to a draw for a 4-4 draw. The draws around the guards and the elegant hits by Birchard and Sweeting in the back half of the game helped to keep the pressure on the Danes and also reduced the pressure from throwing the last stones. Over two points returning home with a hammer, Einarson performed a simple peeling of one of the two Danish counters in the rings for the victory. Managing the improved emotions involved in using the Maple Leaf in front of fans who know their sport was part of Einarson’s team preparing for Prince George. “Our adrenaline is obviously much higher in a high-end game and with the crowd cheering you on as well, so we talked about taking that extra breath into the hack, resetting it if needed, if things are very strong, and “Make sure we communicate clearly,” Birchard explained. “Even if we kick a little slower than we think we want just because, if nothing else, we will have a little extra weight with the adrenaline in our systems.” With her husband Kyle and eight-year-old twin daughters Khloe and Kamryn in the arena to cheer her on as Canada’s bypass made Einarson excited to talk about it. Einarson hugged her daughters in the corner of the arena on Saturday afternoon before starting her warm-up before the race. “It definitely helps me. Every time I look up and see their smiling faces, it’s very special,” Einarson said. “I know I miss them a lot. It’s hard for them and it’s hard for my husband, but having them here is very special.” This Canadian Press report was first published on March 26, 2022.
